These nightingales seem earlier than usual, which I guess is down to weather/temperature or maybe strong prevailing winds for their journey over. My guess is cuckoos are likely to be a couple of weeks earlier than usual too.
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[Misc] The Official NSC Bird Spotting Thread.
- Thread starter 1066familyman
- Start date
Weststander
Well-known member
We sometimes get those in the Garden. They hang upside down on the bird feeders to get at the seed.
Reminds me of many years ago Mrs Wz phoned me at work to say we had a parrot with a green body and red head in the garden. A couple of weeks later she saw it again and I was in the house so took a look. It sat on the lawn eating ants
View attachment 137595
We had a Green Woodpecker in our gardn a couple of months ago. Feeding on ants nests, very kindly aerating the lawn. The same one?
Throughout the long wet winter we had a charm of Goldfinches feeding on a load of Teasels I’d allowed to remain. So tiny, it was my daughter (young eyes) who spotted the Greenfinches initially.
- Oct 20, 2022
- 6,932
Had a Cuckoo’s Saturday ( and a male Ring Ouzel)
- Jul 10, 2003
- 27,754
We get Green woodpeckers on the lawn fairly regularly during summer, but the Greater Spotted are far more common, one drinking from the pond only yesterday. We always have loads of goldfinches (niger seed feeders) but lately greenfinches have become rarer and Chaffinches have all but disappeared from being the most common 7/8 years ago.
UK Chaffinch numbers down 30% between 2007 and 2018 and I suspect a lot worse in the last 6 years.
Chaffinch Appeal
The UK breeding population of Chaffinch has fallen by a quarter in just five years - we urgently need your help to understand why.
That's a new one on me - are you in Sussex?
- Oct 20, 2022
- 6,932
Hi
No in Norfolk now but I used to see them quite regularly in Brighton on migration - best place is on the cliffs up by the Belle Toute Lighthouse ( at Birling Gap) in March/April or September/October. (Or Ashdown Forest if that’s nearer for you)
Weststander
Well-known member
I’d never seen woodpeckers in my life, but had heard them. Until one summer about 12 years ago, we had both those species in our garden. The Westdene and Withdean Woods are significant when eg you look at google earth, must be teeming with fauna.
Thanks.
As the crow flies, Birling gap to the Ashdown Forest passes directly over my house, so I'll keep an eye out
Paskman
Not a user
There have been 2 Hoopoes in Eastbourne and Stone Cross this week.
Cheshire Cat
The most curious thing..
There was a very loud blackbird in my garden this evening.
I couldn't tell if it was telling me to "come over here and get me darlin' phnar phnar" or "f*** off out of my territory".
I couldn't tell if it was telling me to "come over here and get me darlin' phnar phnar" or "f*** off out of my territory".
I’m finding the stork live webcam feed from Knepp strangely fascinating……….can’t be long before they hatch now….
whitestorkproject.org
Live Cam Feed
Here is a live camera feed on one of our stork's nests at Knepp Estate!
whitestorkproject.org
Boroseagull
Well-known member
On my local patch yesterday pre-dawn I had 14 Nightingales in full song. Poor old Blackcaps are now being drowned out by them. Had first Common Cuckoo 2 weeks ago. Whinchats & Western Subalpine Warblers, along with all the other warblers back and singing. Sadly though numbers seem to be down particularly with the Chats, Warblers and other insect dependant birds, 3 years of drought, too much insecticide is having an effect. According to my records our Red-necked Nightjars should return next week - fingers crossed.
m20gull
Well-known member
We moved from Orpington to Lincolnshire last year and have gone from basically pigeons and magpies to a whole range of birds. Last summer a young spotted woodpecker found the nut feeder and is a regular visitor again this year.
I did try a bird table but that disappeared in a cloud of rooks and jackdaws! The feeders have instead bought an array of tits and finches plus siskins and bramblings. Biggest problem I have now is blue tits fighting with their reflection in the windows and car mirrors.
We have an old Sky dish on the house and I was going to take it down but a collared dove managed to nest on the bracket. They are already back again! So the dish stays.
I did try a bird table but that disappeared in a cloud of rooks and jackdaws! The feeders have instead bought an array of tits and finches plus siskins and bramblings. Biggest problem I have now is blue tits fighting with their reflection in the windows and car mirrors.
We have an old Sky dish on the house and I was going to take it down but a collared dove managed to nest on the bracket. They are already back again! So the dish stays.
- May 8, 2018
- 10,620
Off with the kids shortly to Huxley’s Birds of Prey in Horsham for a bit of pre match entertainment.
- Oct 20, 2022
- 6,932
Great isn’t it - had a small flock of Swallows and House Martins on the Nature Reserve at work last week - still too early for Swifts - when I hear those screaming then I know summer will have arrived
Hoopoe in one of the local gardens this week. The White-tailed Eagles we’ve had up hear recently haven’t been seen for a while so maybe have headed over the sea or down South.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,900
Where are you based ? White tailed Eagle seen hanging out at Pulborough Brooks recently, West Sussex.Great isn’t it - had a small flock of Swallows and House Martins on the Nature Reserve at work last week - still too early for Swifts - when I hear those screaming then I know summer will have arrived
Hoopoe in one of the local gardens this week. The White-tailed Eagles we’ve had up hear recently haven’t been seen for a while so maybe have headed over the sea or down South.
Project is IoW based - good info here https://www.forestryengland.uk/blog/white-tailed-eagle-project-october-2023-update
Knepp storks have hatched too
Live Cam Feed
Here is a live camera feed on one of our stork's nests at Knepp Estate!
whitestorkproject.org